Follower latch for cartridge magazines



May 12, 1959 s. c. WOMBLE, JR

FOLLOWER LATCH FOR CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES Filed April '25, 1958 INVENTOR.S'bez'man 6! Womble u Unitedstates Patent Applicati'on April 25, 1958,Serial No. 730,900

' acme. (Cl. 42-50 The present inyention relates in general to animprovement in the removable cartridge magazine or clip of a gun, suchas an automatic pistol or rifle, adapted to contain a stack ofcartridges normally urged upwardly .by a spring-pressed follower wherebythe cartridges successively come to position at the top of the magazinefor transfer into the gun barrel by mechanism which the gun includes.

When the magazine is removed from the gun and is to be loaded, it isnecessary to retract the follower against the compression of the spring,and this is accomplished by a projecting button which must be manuallyshifted downwardly and then held-by one hand in such position while asupply of cartridges is fed-by the other hand-into the magazine from thetop. To thus hold the button and follower down while the loading of themagazine progresses is difficult and tiresome.

It is, therefore, the major object of the present invention to provide anovel follower latch, for a cartridge magazine, which functionsautomaticallyupon downward shifting. of the follower-to releasablysecure the latter in its lowered position and so that both hands of theuser are then free to conveniently load the cartridges into the magazinefrom the top thereof.

. Another important object of the invention is to provide a followerlatch, for the purpose described, which is easily manually releasedafter the magazine is loaded.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a follower latch, for acartridge magazine, which is adapted either for inclusion in aconventional magazine at the time of manufacture, or subsequently as areadily applied attachment; the latch remaining on the magazine as aunitary part thereof, and for ready use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a follower latch, for acartridge magazine, whichwhen in engaged position-may also serve as asafety. By permitting the latch to remain engaged when the loadedmagazine is inserted in the gun, the follower does not spring-use thecartridges upwardly in the magazine and such cartridges cannot then befed into the gun barrel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a follower latch, for acartridge magazine, which is designed for ease and economy ofmanufacture, and simplified installation without modification of themagazine in its conventional form.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable follower latch, for a cartridge magazine, and alatch which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it isdesigned.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the follower latch, detached.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a cartridge magazine influ ding thefollower latch; such latch being shown in its 2 engaged position in fulllines, and in disengaged position in dotted lines. In this view, thecartridges, the follower, and the spring are likewise shown in dottedlines.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;the follower latch being shown in its engaged position in dotted linesand in disengaged position in full lines.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, the magazine in which the follower latch isadapted to'be incorporated is of conventional form; such magazine beingindicated generally at 1. The magazine 1, which is a verticallyelongated case, includes a front wall 2, a back Wall 3, and opposite endwalls 4 and 5; all of such walls defining a transversely elongatedchamber 6 closedatthe bottom by an inclined butt plate 7. At the top themagazine 1 is substantially open and diagonals in general parallelism tothe butt plate 7; the walls 2 and 3 being provided, at the top, withrelatively short inturned lips 8 which serve as the retention means forthe upper cartridge 9 of a stack thereof in said magazine. Althoughretained against upward displacement by the lips 8, the uppermostcartridge 9 can, of course, as is usual, be advanced lengthwise out ofthe magazine into the gun barrel by the usual mechanism of the gun.

The stack of cartridges 9 in the magazine 1 is normally urged upwardlyby a spring-pressed follower 10 slidably disposed in the magazine; thebottom 11 of such follower being horizontal, and a normally expanded butloaded helical compression spring 12 is disposed between said bottom 11of the follower 10 and the butt plate 7. The helical compression spring12 is substantially rectangular but transversely elongated in eachconvolution whereby it is symmetrically received in the magazine 1.

The front wall 2 is formed centrally therein with a vertically elongatedslot 13 which extends for a major portion of the length of saidmagazine, and an exterior button 14 is disposed outwardly of the slot 13in overlying relation thereto. A neck 15 projects inwardly from thebutton 14, through the slot 13, and into the follower 10; such neckbeing enlarged at its inner end, as at 16, for reception in acorresponding bore in said follower.

A circular flange 17 is included in the enlarged inner end 16 of neck15, and is frictionally received-in a corresponding recess in thefollower 10.

In order to permit assembly of the parts, there is an enlarged circularopening 18, at the lower end of the slot 13, which permits passage ofthe flange 17 into the magazine 1 for engagement with the inner end 16of neck 15 into the receiving bore of the follower.

The present invention takes advantage of said enlarged opening 18 in themanner as will hereinafter appear.

The foregoing is the conventional construction of the magazine 1, andheretofore when it was desired to load 'such magazine, the follower 10was shifted downwardly to a lowered position and against the compressionof spring 12 by moving the button 14 to a lowered position and thenwithone hand-holding such button in said position. The cartridges 9 werethen loaded into magazine 1 from the top and with the other hand.

As the spring 12 has substantial loadingwhen compressed by lowering ofthe follower 10it was diificult to hold the button 14 in its downposition with one hand while the magazine was loaded with the other.

The present, invention, therefore, provides a novel latch whichautomatically engages and holds the follower 10 in its down positionduring the loading ofthe magazine, and which can then be accomplished byboth hands as they are free.

The follower latch, which is indicated generally at 19, is constructed,mounted, and functions as follows:

The follower latch 19 comprises a fiat, relatively narrow elongatedcross plate 20 which is disposed transvcrsely in the magazine 1 betweenthe upper end of the helical compression spring 12 and the bottom 11 offollower such cross plate being formed with dependent, spring-locatingears 21 disposed on opposite sides of said cross plate adjacent itsends.

An upper, substantially vertically extending finger 22 is disposedoutwardly of the slot 13, and at its upper end such finger is connectedin integral relation to the front edge of the cross plate 20, centrallyof the ends of the latter, by an elbow 23 which passes in slidablerelation through said slot 13. The included angle between the crossplate 20 and the upper vertical finger 22 is slightly less than ninetydegrees for the purpose as will hereinafter appear.

At its lower end, the upper vertical finger 22 merges, in integralrelation, with the top of a transversely enlarged, substantiallysemi-circular, flat catch 24 which spans the slot 13 and normally bearsagainst the front wall 2 on opposite sides of such slot.

With the flat catch 24 thus bearing against the front wall 2, the crossplate 20 inclines rearwardly and downwardly somewhat (see Fig. 3)relative to the point of engagement with the bottom 11 of follower 10;this being due to the fact that the included angle between said plate 20and finger 22 is, as aforesaid, somewhat less than ninety degrees.Consequently, the upward pressure exerted on the cross plate 20 by thehelical compression spring 12 tends to move such plate to horizontal(but which cannot normally occur), and the finger 22 and the catch 24tend to swing inwardly so that said catch is maintained under pressureagainst the front wall 2.

For loading of the magazine 1 and when the button 14 is manually engagedand pushed downwardly to a lowered position, the follower 10 iscorrespondingly shifted downwardly in the magazine 1 against the compression spring 12. With such movement of the button 1.4 and follower10, the catch 24 slides down the front wall 2 until it reaches theenlarged opening 18, and at which time said catch automaticallysnap-engages in such opening by reason of its tendency to move inwardlyunder the influence of the compression spring 12 on the normallyinclined cross plate 20. With such snap-engagement of the catch 24 inthe opening 18, the follower 10 is relieved of the load or upwardpressure normally exerted thereon by the spring 12, and said followerautomatically remains in its lowered position so that the user has bothhands free to load a stack of cartridges 9 into the magazine 1 from thetop thereof.

When it is desired to release the latch 19--to permit the follower 10 torise under the influence of the spring 12 and for normal use of themagazine-such latch is released by the following means:

An integral lower finger 25 is connected at its upper end centrally tothe lower edge of said catch 24, and said finger includesadjacent thecatch-an outward offset 26 which disposes the remainder of the finger 25in a vertical plane outwardly of the catch; the lower end of finger 26being formed with an enlarged coplanar finger tab 27. As the tab 27 isoutwardly offset relative to the catch 24, such tab does not preventfree snap-engagement of said catch in opening 18 when the follower ismoved to lowered position.

The follower latch is released by pressing downwardly slightly on button14, finger-engaging the tab 27, and then pulling outwardly thereon whichwithdraws the catch 24 from the opening 18, whereby to permit thefollower to rise in the magazine 1 under the influence of the spring 12.The loaded magazine 1 is then ready for insertion in the gun for use.

If desired, the loaded magazine 1 ma be inserted in the gun with thefollower latch 19 engaged, and in such event the latter serves as asafety; this for the reason that the follower 10 is maintained in itslowered position and does not urge the stack of cartridges 9 upwardly inthe magazine. Under this condition the up permost cartridge cannot befed from the magazine into the gun barrel.

An indicator dot D, preferably red in color, is applied to the face offront wall 2 directly below opening 18 and in position to be covered byfinger tab 27 when the follower 10 is lowered and the follower latch 19engaged. At such time as the latch is released, and the follower risesagainst a stack of cartridges in the magazine, finger tab 27 movesupwardly and exposes dot D Warning the user that the loaded magazine isin condition for cartridge transfer into the gun barrel.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets" forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit orthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. In a cartridge magazine which includes a follower slidable therein, acompression spring between the bottom of the magazine and the followernormally urging the latter upwardly, and an exteriorly exposed memberconnected to the follower for manual engagement and downward shiftingwhereby to move the follower against the spring to a lowered position; afollower latch comprising a catch element separate from said member andthe follower, means rigid with the catch element mounting the same fordownward movement with the follower, an upstanding wall on the magazine,said catch element being disposed to move along said wall, themountingmeans being engaged in part by the spring and formed totranslate force from the latter to inward pressure on the catch elementwhereby the latter is urged into engagement with said wall, and thelatter having an opening into which said catch element releasablysnap-engages upon movement of the follower to said lowered position.

2. In a cartridge magazine which includes a follower slidable therein, acompression spring between the bottom of the magazine and the followernormally urging the latter upwardly, and an exteriorly exposed memberconnected to the follower for manual engagement and downward shifting.whereby to move the follower against the spring to a lowered position;the magazine having an upstanding wall formed with a longitudinal slottherein and an enlarged opening at the bottom of the slot, and saidmember including a neck extending through the slot to connection withthe follower; a follower latch separate from the follower and member,said latch comprising a catchelement adapted to engage in the openingbut normally spanning the slot above such opening, means mounting thecatch element for downward movement with the follower and in yieldablepressure engagement with the outer face of the wall whereby uponmovement of the follower to lowered position the catch elementreleasably snap-engages in said opening, and means to manually releasethe catch element from said opening.

3. A follower latch, as in claim 2, in which themountin'g means includesa part in the magazine engaged by the spring; such part, under theinfluence of the spring, imparting inward pressure to the catch element.

4. In a cartridge magazine which includes a follower slidable therein, acompression spring between the bottom of the magazine and the followernormally urging the latter upwardly, and an" exteriorly exposed memberconnected to the follower for manual engagement and downward shiftingwhereby to move the follower against the spring to a lowered position;the magazine having an upstanding wall formed with a longitudinal slottherein and an enlarged opening at the bottom of the slot, and saidmember including a neck extending through the slot to connection withthe follower; a follower latch comprising a catch element adapted toengage in the opening but normally spanning the slot above such opening,a plate in the magazine between the upper end of the spring and thebottom of the follower, and a generally L-shaped part connected at oneend to the plate and thence extending outwardly through the slot, thecatch element being outwardly of the Wall and fixed to the other end ofsaid part for downward movement with the follower to a lowered position;said plate and part being arranged so that the spring normally urges thecatch element into yieldable pressure engagement with the wall butwhereby said catch element releasably snap-engages into the opening upondownward motion with the follower to said lowered position.

5. In a cartridge magazine which includes a follower slidable therein, acompression spring between the bottom of the magazine and the followernormally urging the latter upwardly, and an exteriorly exposed memberconneeted to the follower for manual engagement and downward shiftingwhereby to move the follower against the spring to a lowered position;the magazine having an upstanding wall formed with a longitudinal slottherein and an enlarged opening at the bottom of the slot, and saidmember including a neck extending through the slot to connection withthe follower; a follower latch comprising a catch element adapted toengage in the opening but normally spanning the slot above such opening,a plate engaged between the upper end of the spring and the bottom ofthe follower, the plate being normally inclined downwardly from a pointof engagement with the follower, and a finger rigid with the plateadjacent said point, passing through the slot, and thence extendinglengthwise of the wall outside thereof; the catch element being on theouter end of said finger, and the included angle between the plate andthe lengthwise portion of the finger being related to the inclination ofsaid plate in a manner whereby the force of the spring is translated tothe catch element causing the latter to normally yieldably pressureengage the wall but whereby said catch element releasably snap-engagesinto the opening upon downward motion with the follower to said loweredposition.

6. A follower latch, as in claim 5, including means to manually releasethe catch element from said opening; said means including another fingerrigid with and extending from said catch element opposite saidlengthwise portion of the first named finger, and a finger tab on theouter end of said other finger, the latter having an offset therein todispose the tab in spaced relation outwardly of the wall.

7. In a cartridge magazine which includes an upstanding wall providedwith a longitudinal slot having an enlarged opening at the lower endthereof, a follower slidable in the magazine, a compression spring inthe magazine between the bottom thereof and the bottom of the follower,and a finger element connected to the follower and projecting throughthe slot for finger engagement; a follower latch comprising a catchelement normally riding the outside of said magazine wall in verticalalinement with the enlarged opening and of a size to fit in saidopening, a cross plate in the magazine projecting between the bottom ofthe follower and the adjacent end of the spring, and a neck connectingthe cross plate and the catch element in rigid relation and slidablealong the slot; the angle of the cross plate relative to the bottom ofthe follower when the catch element is riding said magazine wall beingsuch that the pressure of the spring against said cross plate willenable and cause the latter to be deflected and the catch element toenter the enlarged opening when said element moves down the wall toregister with said opening.

8. A latch, as in claim 7 in which the length of the cross plate isgreater than the width of the slot but of a thickness less than that ofthe slot, and the neck is of a lesser width and thickness than the slot.

9. In a cartridge magazine which includes an upstanding wall providedwith a longitudinal slot having an enlarged opening at the lower endthereof, a follower slidable in the magazine, a compression spring inthe magazine between the bottom thereof and the bottom of the follower,and a finger element connected to the follower and projecting throughthe slot for finger engagement; a follower latch comprising a catchelement normally riding one face of said magazine wall in verticalalinement with said enlarged opening and of a size to fit the same, across plate projecting between the bottom of the follower and theadjacent end of the spring and engaged thereby, and means rigidlyconnecting the cross plate and catch element and including a memberslidably pro jecting through the slot in guided relation; the angle ofthe cross plate relative to the bottom of the follower when the catchelement is riding said magazine wall being such that the pressure of thespring against said cross plate will enable and cause the latter to bedeflected and the catch element to enter the enlarged opening when saidelement moves down the wall to register with said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

